We're having a baaaaaaaby!
I am approximately 8 weeks pregnant and very excited!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
One other great little factoid about my school...
Instead of the principal coming to a particular teacher about a complaint he has about him/her, he holds a spontaneous faculty meeting and complains about that teacher's actions without actually telling said teacher directly.
This leaves the teacher in a very delicate position. First, she cannot be sure that the principal is actually talking about her. Secondly, if she does actually figure out that the principal is complaining about her actions, she cannot apologize nor defend her actions. Lastly, the teacher is embarrassed for having gotten a tongue lashing in front of the entire staff!
As you have probably guessed, the last staff meeting was dedicated to me. Apparently, I was too dressed down for 'Dress-Down Friday'. I know that he is big on the staff looking very professional at all times (during most of the week). But his only stipulation on Friday is that we wear a college shirt or a school shirt and our jeans not be 'too tight'.
I made sure that my jeans were very modestly fitting, but my shirt was not tucked in (it was E's Ga Tech National Society of Engineer's shirt, so it was too big). Apparently, I looked "a hot mess" and warranted my own faculty meeting and the cancellation of 'Dress-Down Fridays'.
At least I am making a difference.
This leaves the teacher in a very delicate position. First, she cannot be sure that the principal is actually talking about her. Secondly, if she does actually figure out that the principal is complaining about her actions, she cannot apologize nor defend her actions. Lastly, the teacher is embarrassed for having gotten a tongue lashing in front of the entire staff!
As you have probably guessed, the last staff meeting was dedicated to me. Apparently, I was too dressed down for 'Dress-Down Friday'. I know that he is big on the staff looking very professional at all times (during most of the week). But his only stipulation on Friday is that we wear a college shirt or a school shirt and our jeans not be 'too tight'.
I made sure that my jeans were very modestly fitting, but my shirt was not tucked in (it was E's Ga Tech National Society of Engineer's shirt, so it was too big). Apparently, I looked "a hot mess" and warranted my own faculty meeting and the cancellation of 'Dress-Down Fridays'.
At least I am making a difference.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Remember when I said that the administration was smart
or rather I said that "it's not that they are not smart".
Well, I lied. A lot of them are just not smart. They talk a good game but REALLY don't know what they are talking about.
It's quite annoying...
Well, I lied. A lot of them are just not smart. They talk a good game but REALLY don't know what they are talking about.
It's quite annoying...
Monday, August 18, 2008
So, I don't like teaching.
Besides the fact that a lot of the kids are rude, spoiled, and obnoxious (to be fair, they say I have an attitude problem). I just don't like the work.
You know people who talk just because they like to hear themselves talk? Well, I am the opposite of that. I do not like to talk and I hate to actually hear myself talk. Of course I am distracted and don't mind if I am conversing about something new and exciting. (This may be why I hate small talk.)
I know what you are going to say: "But you are TEACHING something new and exciting for the kids". It may start out that way. But once you've explained something to the same group of students (something they should learned years earlier, ANYWAY) 4 or 5 times (and they just talk while you are explaining) and they complain that they don't understand because you don't know how to teach (they know that it's my first year - so they like this excuse). The whole 'new and exciting' thing wears a little thin.
Another thing I miss is not being around intellectuals. Granted, intellectuals can be too competitive for my taste, egotistical and snotty - I still prefer to hang with them. Not that the teachers and administration are not smart... I just wouldn't consider them intellectuals.
I guess I am just disappointed in myself for thinking that I would actually enjoy teaching. What kind of person does not know these things? I figured that teaching would be like tutoring (which I DO enjoy) on a much larger scale. I thought that the warm and fuzzies I feel with I am tutoring someone and they finally 'get it' would be times 20 or however many people are in my class.
Well the warm and fuzzies are more like fire-hot-pricklies. All of the turmoil that it takes for them to actually 'get it' takes up every ounce of my energy. And it requires a lot of convincing for me to not just walk out during a lesson to my car and drive 0.6 miles back home. J/K it's not that bad.
But I do have to think of a really good reason not to crawl back to Ga Tech and beg for my old position.
You know people who talk just because they like to hear themselves talk? Well, I am the opposite of that. I do not like to talk and I hate to actually hear myself talk. Of course I am distracted and don't mind if I am conversing about something new and exciting. (This may be why I hate small talk.)
I know what you are going to say: "But you are TEACHING something new and exciting for the kids". It may start out that way. But once you've explained something to the same group of students (something they should learned years earlier, ANYWAY) 4 or 5 times (and they just talk while you are explaining) and they complain that they don't understand because you don't know how to teach (they know that it's my first year - so they like this excuse). The whole 'new and exciting' thing wears a little thin.
Another thing I miss is not being around intellectuals. Granted, intellectuals can be too competitive for my taste, egotistical and snotty - I still prefer to hang with them. Not that the teachers and administration are not smart... I just wouldn't consider them intellectuals.
I guess I am just disappointed in myself for thinking that I would actually enjoy teaching. What kind of person does not know these things? I figured that teaching would be like tutoring (which I DO enjoy) on a much larger scale. I thought that the warm and fuzzies I feel with I am tutoring someone and they finally 'get it' would be times 20 or however many people are in my class.
Well the warm and fuzzies are more like fire-hot-pricklies. All of the turmoil that it takes for them to actually 'get it' takes up every ounce of my energy. And it requires a lot of convincing for me to not just walk out during a lesson to my car and drive 0.6 miles back home. J/K it's not that bad.
But I do have to think of a really good reason not to crawl back to Ga Tech and beg for my old position.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
So today has been the worst day...
Although, I had a pretty good time yesterday, I seriously considered quitting today. The kids were sooooo bad! Well, my last period was.
We are on block schedule. So yesterday, I had a different set of kids for 3 periods. Also, we did not do any real work. Just - get-to-know-you activities. We had a good time. I should have done the same today, but I felt like I was slacking on my duties. Furthermore, I was given all kinds of warnings about being too relaxed the first part of school.
Today I started out being strict and doing real math without getting to know the students. My last class did not respond well and tried to push every button. I ended up giving about 5 detentions and sending two students out of the class.
Very bad, I know.
But teaching (I am told) is about trial and error and so I will just have to start over on Thursday.
We are on block schedule. So yesterday, I had a different set of kids for 3 periods. Also, we did not do any real work. Just - get-to-know-you activities. We had a good time. I should have done the same today, but I felt like I was slacking on my duties. Furthermore, I was given all kinds of warnings about being too relaxed the first part of school.
Today I started out being strict and doing real math without getting to know the students. My last class did not respond well and tried to push every button. I ended up giving about 5 detentions and sending two students out of the class.
Very bad, I know.
But teaching (I am told) is about trial and error and so I will just have to start over on Thursday.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Week One
Taking note that the students have not come back from summer break yet, the biggest difference that I've noticed at the new job so far is the PEOPLE! Two things I must have taken for granted is the lack of drama at Ga Tech (or maybe there was but I was not a part of it, but I doubt it) and the warmth.
I guess I assumed that as we get old, so does the need for drama. And I wouldn't guess that a group of engineers would be considered the warmest bunch, but really, they are (at least my old group).
HR, the administrative assistants, even the custodial staff at Ga Tech are extremely warm and friendly. While at Atlanta Public Schools (APS), there is noticeable tension between the custodial staff and the teaching staff, the staff form cliques (isn't that so.... high school?), and HR does not call you back (even if you leave a crap load of messages).
There is a serious lack of resources. We don't have an administrative assistant yet (think of the disarray). Now, I remember at Ga tech having to go on a scavenger hunt whenever I had to set up equipment, but I never had a problem finding an available PC and printer.
Furthermore, students come back on Monday and I don't even have my schedule and class roster yet. I have been told that I am teaching Trigonometry and Calculus, but I don't know when, and I don't know to whom.
However, I did not quit my job to make new friends. Nor did I believe that teaching (I realize I haven't even STARTED teaching yet) in a public school system would be a piece of cake.
On the bright side my salary is going to be $8k more than I was expecting (still $20k less than what I was making but we are looking at the bright side here)!
But really, one thing that is keeping me from stressing out completely is realizing that the only thing that matters is making sure my students know the material by the end of the year. My measure of success is only that - not how fast I can get my room together (or how good it looks), not how organized my life is, not even how well my principle is impressed by my efforts. As long as I can remember that, I know that I can do it.
I guess I assumed that as we get old, so does the need for drama. And I wouldn't guess that a group of engineers would be considered the warmest bunch, but really, they are (at least my old group).
HR, the administrative assistants, even the custodial staff at Ga Tech are extremely warm and friendly. While at Atlanta Public Schools (APS), there is noticeable tension between the custodial staff and the teaching staff, the staff form cliques (isn't that so.... high school?), and HR does not call you back (even if you leave a crap load of messages).
There is a serious lack of resources. We don't have an administrative assistant yet (think of the disarray). Now, I remember at Ga tech having to go on a scavenger hunt whenever I had to set up equipment, but I never had a problem finding an available PC and printer.
Furthermore, students come back on Monday and I don't even have my schedule and class roster yet. I have been told that I am teaching Trigonometry and Calculus, but I don't know when, and I don't know to whom.
However, I did not quit my job to make new friends. Nor did I believe that teaching (I realize I haven't even STARTED teaching yet) in a public school system would be a piece of cake.
On the bright side my salary is going to be $8k more than I was expecting (still $20k less than what I was making but we are looking at the bright side here)!
But really, one thing that is keeping me from stressing out completely is realizing that the only thing that matters is making sure my students know the material by the end of the year. My measure of success is only that - not how fast I can get my room together (or how good it looks), not how organized my life is, not even how well my principle is impressed by my efforts. As long as I can remember that, I know that I can do it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)